Mail on the Fly at Conran

Discussion in 'General' started by Karl, Aug 2, 2008.

  1. Karl

    Karl 2008 Engineer of the Year Frisco.org Supporter

    My Great Uncle Frank Litzelfelner owned the general store in Conran, MO. He also served as the postmaster for the local post office, which if I remember correctly, occupied a corner in the store.

    While I was still very young, my family paid him a visit. His duties as postmaster required him to swap the daily mail with the Sunnlyland’s RPO’s. I don’t know if his duties also included a similar swap with the Memphian during the wee hours of the morning. A review of several ETT's seems to indicate there were just a few stations where mail was exchanged with the Memphian, and Conran wasn't one of them.

    As it turned out, our arrival at his store was close to train time. With a canvas mail pouch in hand, he invited my father and me to follow him to trackside which was but a brief walk away.

    Uncle Frank climbed the wooden steps, which were set at the base of the mail crane, and he placed the pouch on the spring-like hooks, which were located on the booms of the crane. All was set, and we began our short wait. (I am not aware how he knew the train’s location. No doubt, open agencies along the line passed OS information to “stations” where no depot existed).

    It was not long before a headlight appeared. As the train came closer, it became clear to me that its source was a passenger train. Even at this early age, I had been schooled to the fact that Frisco passenger engines were red and Frisco freight engines were black. This one was definitely red. ( In retrospect, and after reviewing a topo sheet of Conran, I believe that this was 808.)

    As the train got closer, Uncle Frank told me to watch the crane. The rest is but a blur. My recollection is one of the blare of the whistle, the bang and clang of the mail crane booms as they collapsed against the mast, and then the sight of the disappearing train with its red markers and red mars lamp as a wisp of steam escaped from the steam line.

    Once again all was quiet in Conran, the mail crane was empty, and on the ground, not far from my great uncle was a different mail pouch. Cool stuff for a little kid!
     
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  2. yardmaster

    yardmaster Administrator Staff Member Administrator Frisco.org Supporter

    Karl, somehow I'd missed this story when you first posted it, but it's a real gem. Do you know if the old store still stands?
     
  3. Karl

    Karl 2008 Engineer of the Year Frisco.org Supporter

    Chris,

    Thanks. I was only 4 or thereabouts, so the details are very sketchy. However, it's surprising the things we do remember.

    I took a virtual drive around Conran via Google Earth's Street View, and the store is gone, the public school is closed. There's no longer a Post Office in town, and the remaining residents have to go to Marsten or Portageville.

    I found this sole photo of our visit, and it offers but a glimpse of the store. The bench "out front" seems to be "de reguerre" for the small-town general store.

     

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    yardmaster likes this.
  4. yardmaster

    yardmaster Administrator Staff Member Administrator Frisco.org Supporter

    Priceless...whoever took the picture, it's pretty Rockwellesque.

    Store fronts and windows had much more character during this time, what with the advertisements and front benches where I'm sure many of the world's ills were solved at one point or another.

    I recently took the Google Earth Street Tour of Hayti and it looks drastically different from the heyday of a passenger depot and small shop facilities.

    Best Regards,
     
  5. Peddling Joe

    Peddling Joe Frisco Employee

    Like you, the few times I watched the mail crane/hook it was just a blur.
    The Railroad Historical Museum, Inc. has recently been gifted with
    a mail crane and we are debating where to install it. Since apparently all dimensions are from top of rail and center-line of track I have been unable
    to find the dimension center line of track.
    Can you help.
    Thanks in advance.
     

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